Texas' Michael Young, left, is swarmed after his single in the ninth inning gave the Rangers a 5-4 win against Toronto on Saturday in Arlington.

ARLINGTON — Small ball led to a big victory for the Texas Rangers.

Three straight ninth-inning bunts set up Michael Young’s winning single as the Rangers rallied for a 5-4 victory over the Toronto Blue Jays on Saturday night.

“You just have to play baseball according to the way it presents itself,” Rangers manager Ron Washington said of the ninth-inning bunts. “We executed. Great execution in that inning. Great execution.”

The Rangers trailed 4-3 when Mark Rzepczynski (2-3) walked pinch-hitter Mike Napoli leading off the ninth. Rzepczynski threw wide of first for an error on Mitch Moreland’s first career sacrifice bunt.

Closer Jon Rauch came in, and the runners moved to second and third on Ian Kinsler’s bunt.

Napoli scored on Elvis Andrus’ suicide-squeeze bunt to tie it at 4, and after Josh Hamilton was intentionally walked, pinch-runner Craig Gentry crossed the plate on Young’s drive over the head of right fielder Corey Patterson.

“We were on the top step. We expected it,” Kinsler said of Young’s seventh career game-winning hit.

The AL West-leading Rangers thrive on the long ball, but they also work on bunting every day during batting practice.

“We practice it a lot. It shows our versatility,” Moreland said. “We can swing our way out of it, or small ball, we can do that, too. It gives you confidence as a team to know that whatever situation you’re put into as a team, you’ll be able to prevail.”

Patterson, a ninth-inning defensive replacement, said the ball wasn’t catchable.

“It was just hit over my head, right above my head, went off the wall, that’s what happened,” he said. “It is frustrating. We battled hard today. The last inning, it just didn’t go our way.”

Darren Oliver (3-5) retired the final batter of the eighth for the victory as the Rangers won for the 14th time in 16 games.

Toronto’s J.P. Arencibia homered for the third time in two games to spark a three-run sixth.

Terry Francona earned his 1,000th win as a major league manager, the 57th to reach that milestone, and the eighth still active. Boston moved a season-high three games ahead of the New York Yankees for the lead in the AL East.

■ Royals 5, Rays 4, 10 innings

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Joakim Soria worked out of a bases-loaded, no-out jam in the 10th and Eric Hosmer doubled home the winning run in the bottom of the inning and the Royals rallied for a victory over the Rays.

Brandon Gomes (0-1) threw two pitches in the 10th and took the loss. Billy Butler singled to right to lead off the inning. Mike Aviles ran for Butler and scored on Hosmer’s double to left-center.

■ Athletics 4, Yankees 3

NEW YORK — Hideki Matsui homered against his former team, Rich Harden earned his second win of the season and the Athletics snapped an 11-game losing streak to the Yankees.

Andrew Bailey barely held on in the ninth inning, allowing a run before retiring Robinson Cano on an easy grounder with a runner on third to end it.

■ Orioles 3, Angels 2

BALTIMORE — Adam Jones homered and drove in two runs to back an effective pitching performance by Brad Bergesen and lead the Orioles over the Angels.

Jones hit a solo shot in the fourth inning and put Baltimore ahead 3-2 in the fifth with a sacrifice fly. He has four homers and nine RBIs in his last eight games.

■ Twins 4, Tigers 1

MINNEAPOLIS — Scott Baker pitched five scoreless innings and the Twins bullpen came through with four solid innings of relief in a victory over the Tigers, snapping Detroit’s 11-game winning streak over Minnesota.

Baker (8-5) allowed three hits and struck out five in his first start since July 5. Anthony Swarzak, Phil Dumatrait and Glen Perkins bridged the gap to Joe Nathan, who picked up his seventh save.